Citation for operating on suspended registration

[justmelds]

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

So yesterday my husband received a citation for operating my car after the registration had been suspended due to insurance lapsing. He had no knowledge of this and was operating my vehicle without my knowledge. My first question is whether he can be held responsible for this since it was not his car and he didn't know he was in violation of any laws.
He received a citation to appear in court and the instructions on the back say to send the citation to the court specified on the front of the citation within four days to schedule a hearing. The problem is the issuing officer left the box where the court stamp should be blank. My second question is does this invalidate the ticket? And what should we do?

Thank You

[The Occultist]

It is not the owner's responsibility to ensure compliance, but the driver's responsibility. The citation is for failure to operate a vehicle that is not properly registered, not for owning a vehicle that is not properly registered.

[garrula lingua]

OP, get your insurance and registration corrected.
Have Hubby go to court with proof of the corrected registration and bring proof of the current insurance. In most courts, they will reduce the fine (or dismiss the ticket) when you show proof of correction; he should ask for a reduction or dismissal.

Occult is right - it is the driver's responsibility to ensure the reg is current.
Saying it's my wife's fault will probably get the Judge mad; saying I thought my wife paid it as she usually does & it's her car, would be received better.

[The Occultist]

Originally Posted by Curt581

Reread that.

Don't you mean operating an unregistered vehicle, not failure to operate an unregistered vehicle?

Haha right. It was bedtime when I typed that!